Something Simple
by PrimeEmily135
Summary: When Layla sees that Yondu is having a rough time she decides to try and lift his spirits. "Ravagers" series (10). Rated T for swearing.


**Hello Peeps! Long time no see? School's been a butt kicker this semester and I haven't had much time for writing. But fortunately (for you not for me) this last week I was in the hospital with Pneumonia. I had my phone on me and I was able to write a little bit. I hope you all enjoy this newest installment to the "Ravagers" series.**

::Something Simple::

Description: When Layla sees that Yondu is having a rough time she decides to make an effort to lift his spirits.

...

(Layla)

I don't know how or when I noticed it, but I started seeing that the Captain was upset about something. To someone who knew him lesser they'd think that he was just pissed off at something, but anyone who took the time to look him in the eye could see that he was troubled about something. The eyes are the window to the soul as they say. He stalked around the Eclector with no destination, snapping at anyone unfortunate enough to be in his way. His hand was constantly fondling the Yaka arrow sheathed under his red coat, absently cutting his fingertips on it. I've seen him more than once retract his hand suddenly to find it bleeding, but he never reacted to it more than an initial curse under his breath. He'd just wrap up his fingers and keep wandering about the ship.

As far as I know this had been going on for about three weeks. He behaved mostly like his regular Yondu self, but there were just several small things that kept catching my attention. He stopped drinking. Cold turkey. I guess that's not very small, but it seemed like I was the only one who noticed, but maybe that's because I don't do much drinking myself and am sober all the time. Every time he was anywhere near a wall console, or any other communication port he stared at it as if willing it to blare to life. He also hadn't eaten regularly in a while, which made me worry. All we had to eat was burnt protein, but he never missed a meal. Never. Lately it seemed he'd grab one meal a day.

How do I know all this? I know I sound a bit like a stalker, but it's much less creepy than that. In the past couple of months Yondu has taken it upon himself to make sure I'm not bothered by the rest of the Ravagers when I'm eating, so he takes his meal breaks the same time that I do. I wasn't so sure about that at first, but I grew accustomed to it. So, when he stopped showing up I noticed very quickly.

I brought up my concerns with Kraglin at one point and he said he'd poke around and see if the Captain would be willing to talk but after a few days he concluded that Yondu wouldn't so much as budge. He had insisted that there was nothing wrong. After that I saw Yondu less and less. He started confining himself to the bridge and his quarters. I'd see him in passing on my way to bed and smile at him, hoping that maybe I could rub a little positivity off on him. He'd nod in my direction, but his expression wouldn't change. It was during these moments that I really could look into his eyes. What I saw reminded me of an anxious parent. He looked scared, but not for himself. He looked tired, like he hadn't slept in weeks. And he looked defeated, like he was helpless to do anything in his current predicament.

Those eyes on Yondu haunted me, truly, that look did not belong on his face. The Yondu I knew was fierce, never afraid, never defeated. I guess it was silly of me to think that he didn't have normal emotions. He had them just like any other sentient being, but he chose to hide them better. But knowing that he had emotions like that so strong that he had to hide them made me sad. I would never wish anything bad on my Captain. And I really wished that there was something I could do for him. He'd already done so much for me. The problem was that I didn't know what was wrong. _How can I help someone if I don't know what's wrong?_

Walking down the hallway to the barracks once again I found myself mulling over this question. As a girl I would want someone to sit down and help me talk through my problems. I know that men don't work like that though. They tend to use distractions as a way to get through hard times. _But he is my Captain, there is not much I can do without looking like a brown-noser._

Standing outside of my assigned quarters, I glanced in the direction of Yondu's. Something told me he was probably inside, doing whatever he does. He'd probably be there for the rest of the evening. I shook my head, turning the latch to get inside my room. It was much more spacious that the first room I had been given. After the shower incident Yondu had made sure that I was moved to the upper level quarters so that he and Kraglin could keep an eye on me. It was a nice gesture, and the room was very much an upgrade. I had room for an actual bed, which I had purchased as soon as I could. My hammock still hung at one side of the room. I had turned it into my reading nook. I had a small bookshelf containing both plant based paper books and an assortment of electronic ones. Every chance I had I sat down and read a story. Opposite the book nook I had an assortment of shelves, cupboards, and clothing compartments. On the shelves I kept an assortment of nick knacks from home and even a small houseplant that was somehow surviving the frigid temperatures. My clothing situation was something to laugh at really. I had three pairs of work pants in desperate need of repairs. I had nothing but tank tops, most of them black, either by design or by grease stain. I had a few decent shirts to put on over the tank tops, but that was about it. My one black jacket was hanging up on a hook over my bed. I really needed to go shopping, but somehow clothes never seemed that important whenever I went planet side. Filling my cupboards is what I like spending my money on.

My cupboards were filled to the brim with freeze-dried goods that I could rehydrate and turn into a decent meal. I had vegetables, fruits, meats, and I even had ice cream! I had many other products that didn't have to be frozen like chocolate bars, drink powders, and some deep fried bagged snacks. It's glorious. No doubt if any of the other Ravagers knew about it they'd be trying break into my bunk for two reasons.

My stomach gave a loud growl at the thought of food. I had been planning to just eat some of that protein stuff, but thinking about my secret stash was making my mouth water. I could sear some steak... I thought, pulling some fresh clothes from my drawer and shoving it into my shower caddy. From there my mind wandered to potatoes and steamed vegetables, forcing me to contain my drool as I made my way to the shower hall. It wasn't too late into the second shift to start making a dinner. If I hurried in the shower I'd have plenty of time.

With that decided I sped washed myself and darted back to my room to gather my ingredients. Throwing my towel to the side, I ran my fingers through my wet hair as I threw open my cupboard of goodies. I pulled out a steak, green vegetables, and an array of other ingredients to use for my dinner. The kitchen would have all of the pans and utensils that I would need. I might have to wash it all before using it but it made it so I didn't have to buy anything to cook with. All I needed was the food.

The kitchen was just as messy as I had expected it to be. Crumbs of protein were scattered around everywhere, their wrappers not quite making it into the trash compactor. The floor was sticky, with what I really don't want to know, and the stovetop was encrusted with burnt food. One of these days I planned on taking a day to clean the kitchen, but today was not that day.

Pulling a pan out of the cupboard I immediately started heating up some water. I fell into an old rhythm, one that I had developed years ago, chopping vegetables and potatoes. The time flew by, and the farther I got into the meal the more I realized that I was cooking too much for myself. _My eyes are bigger than my stomach I guess._ Stirring my fried potatoes I glanced at the large piece of beef I had yet to start on. It was big enough for two people. If I sliced it in half I could grill them up and make a meal for someone else. _I could make Yondu dinner._ I mulled over the idea. It sounded like a major attempt to kiss up to the boss, but if no one else knew it would just be a nice gesture. _He probably hasn't eaten yet. This might be a good idea._

At this time I had forgotten that Yondu did not know I could cook. When I showed up at his door with two plates of food in my hands his eyes had gotten large. I doubt he'd seen a home cooked meal in some time, because he let me in without a question. His room was a lot larger than mine, obviously since he's the Captain, but it was sparse and dark. A bed sat at the far side of the room and the only other pieces of furniture were a table and a bookshelf. As I entered the room I headed straight for the table to deposit my hot plates of dinner. Yondu wasn't far behind me, his eyes glued to either the back of my head or the food. I couldn't tell which.

"I made too much for myself so I figured I'd share." I said quickly, sitting down and digging into my own portion. To my great relief he made no comment about my barging into his quarters and instead sat down to eat as well. I watched him go from slowly testing the food to scarfing it down. Apparently he was pretty hungry. I smiled a little and returned to my own food, eating it at a much more reasonable pace. When he was finished he sat back with a sigh of satisfaction, closing his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"D*mn girl, I had no idea you could cook like that." He said, the appreciation clear in his tone. I smiled again, secretly tickled that he liked my food. There's nothing more satisfying to a cook than someone enjoying your food, that and feeding hungry teenagers. "When'd you learn to do that?"

I chewed my potatoes for a moment, debating whether or not to divulge that particular part of my past to him. I'd been a part of his crew for well over a year and a half, and part of me really wanted to start trusting the Ravagers and my Captain. So far they knew nearly nothing about me...

"It's a bit of a story..." I eluded, taking another bite of potatoes. Yondu raised an eyebrow at me and sat forward with his elbows on the table, interest piqued.

"I've got time, h*ll, I've got nothing but time on my hands!" He interlaced his fingers together, eyes set firmly on me now.

I swallowed, tapping in the tabletop absently _. Where should I start? How much information was too much information?_ Would he see me differently if I told him the whole story? It didn't paint me in a very good light. But it was the story of how I became the person I am today. I sighed, deciding to start from the very beginning.

"My parent's are very... _traditional_ , I guess you could say." I started off slowly. "They believe that the man of the house should be the bread winner and that the woman should just go along with whatever the husband says." I gave a small dark laugh. "I've had that pounded into my head since I was five years old. Women are born to get married and have kids. Women don't have a choice in what they do with their lives. Women shouldn't work outside of the home. Women shouldn't speak unless spoken to. The list goes on..." I stabbed another potato, perhaps a bit more aggressively than need be. "For years I suffered in silence under those kinds of rules. I knew so many people who were able to do things I wasn't allowed to, and they seemed to have such great lives. I wanted that. So I proposed to my parents to let me go to culinary school. I made my argument on the grounds that I wanted to be able to cook for my future husband, after that it didn't take much convincing. What I didn't tell them however was that I would also be taking night classes for a degree in engineering. It took much sneaking around and many energy drinks, but I worked for both degrees night and day. By the end of it I was a very good cook and an even better mechanic." I smirked, remembering the look on my parents face when they realized that I had earned a second degree right under their noses. Needless to say they were not pleased, but what could they do at that point? _Nothing. Absolutely nothing._ I had dealt with the explosion when the ceremony was over but at that point I was done with their old age crap. I told them that I had plans for my life, and getting married wasn't one of them. They about died. My father was furious. My mother was distraught. My brother disapproved. But there was nothing they could do about it. I had made a huge step towards freedom, and no one could take that away from me.

Yondu looked mildly impressed. "You went to school for engineering right under their noses and completely defied the way that they had raised you? That takes some guts." He smiled, a look that seemed genuine. "I'll have to keep a closer eye on you. I never knew you could be so sly."

The compliment made me blush. "After I graduated I got a job where you eventually picked me up. Although I focused my energy on learning how to fix ships I never forgot all of those cooking classes. I actually enjoy cooking from time to time."

"Well I'd say you're almost as good a cook as you are an engineer."

I rolled my eyes at the praise. "Either that or you've just been eating that protein stuff for too long. When's the last time you had a home cooked meal?"

"Too long." He crossed his arms again, glancing behind him at the wall com. panel. I sensed my small distraction had run its course, and he was back to thinking about whatever was bothering him.

I decided to just go for it and ask what was the matter. "Captain, is something wrong? Lately you've seemed a bit distracted."

He looked about to deny it but at the last second he sighed, his shoulders drooping a little. "It's just... One of my Ravagers hasn't checked in. He's three weeks overdue, and for some reason I can't get in contact with him." He frowned, "The next time I see him I'm going to whoop his sorry a** into the next Galaxy. That d*mn boy needs to learn some respect."

"Boy?" I'd been on the Eclector for a while and I'd never heard Yondu refer to anyone as 'boy' before. Whelp, coward, idiot, a**, and bootlicker were terms I was more familiar hearing.

Yondu growled. "His name's Peter. I picked him up from Terra when he was a kid. Practically raised the brat. He decided to go solo some time ago but he's never gone this long without checking in before."

"You sound worried about him." I'd never even heard of Peter before, but the way it sounded he was like the closest thing Yondu had to a son.

Yondu scowled, rolling his eyes. "I ain't worried about the brat, I just know he's a magnet for trouble. If he's in a jam I'm going to have to bail him out of it. This is exactly why I didn't want him going solo in the first place. D*mn kid..." He continued to glare at the table, his fingers twitching in agitation. He may have denied it but his worry was obvious to anyone with eyes.

After a moment of silence he stood from the table and went to retrieve something from a cupboard. I took the moment to clean up the dishes, stacking them with the utensils on top. I was preparing to leave, not wanting to overstay my welcome, when Yondu returned with two glasses and a bottle of alcohol. "Stay for a drink?" He offered, in his own way. It always came out sounding like a command, but I attributed that to him being a leader for so long. I accepted the drink he held out for me with a quick "thank-you" and took a small sip. It was delicious, but very strong. It'd take me a long time to finish it if I didn't want to have a hangover.

"So, your parents aren't the most pleasant of people I take it?" Yondu started up conversation again, taking a much larger sip from his own glass.

"That's the understatement of the century. They are completely intolerable to be around! I've been all but disowned by them at this point. The second they found out I was working out in space around a bunch of men they started calling me a whore. They keep ordering me to come back home and meet all these men they want me to marry, and it's just getting ridiculous!" I huffed, nearly out of breath after my spiel.

"Do you not want to get married?" He inquired, taking another sip.

"No...yes? Not right now I guess." I shrugged. Really the only reason marriage seemed undesirable was because of the types of suitors my parents were trying to force onto me. If I felt free to choose a man for myself perhaps it would sound a bit more appealing. I technically was free to choose, but there was a small (very small) part of me that wanted to please my parents. I didn't really know what to do about marriage.

"I figured you'd say something like that." Yondu nodded to himself. "You seam like the kind of girl that's waiting for the right guy to come along. You're looking for your Mr. Perfect."

I shook my head. "No, not Mr. Perfect. I'm looking for someone realistic. I don't want someone who sees himself as better than me, I want someone by my side who's just as messed up as I am and admits it." I paused, realizing that was the first time I had admitted that to anyone.

Yondu smiled. "I knew I liked you. You're not full of all that superficial crap like most Xandarian women are."

Conversation fell into a comfortable rhythm after that. We swapped a few stories about this and that, nothing deep or insightful, but it was fun conversation. At one point I even made him laugh with a stupid joke. We drank and talked until the second shift was well underway and I started to yawn. Yondu took this as his cue to usher me out of his quarters and to my own. I protested that I still had to do dishes but he insisted that he'd take care of it.

I slept like a rock that night.

When I woke up I had a smile on my face and pep in my step. When I passed Yondu in the hall he seemed much less stressed and even a little relaxed. Apparently a good meal and some regular conversation were just what he had needed to help distract himself from Peter's absence. I skipped to the engine room, feeling like I had done a good thing.

...

 **That's all for today folks! Leave a Review if you enjoyed it. I have another one-shot on the way, it should be posted soon :)**


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